Which of the statements below accurately describe(s) alkanes?

A) Alkanes are hydrocarbons which contain only single bonds.
B) Alkanes belong to the class of unsaturated hydrocarbons.
C) Alkanes are the simplest and least reactive class of organic compounds.
D) both A and B
E) both A and C

Choice A is correct, as alkanes are hydrocarbons that contain only single bonds. Choice B is incorrect, as alkanes are actually saturated hydrocarbons, meaning they contain the maximum possible number of hydrogen atoms bonded to their carbons. Choice C is correct, as alkanes are typically unreactive under normal conditions and are considered the simplest class of organic compounds. Therefore, the best choice is E, as it correctly identifies the characteristics of alkanes as only containing single bonds (choice A) and being the least reactive class of organic compounds (choice C).